[ILLUMINATE]
To me illuminate means to get brighter or make something stand out. A very literal example would be a lightbulb and how it projects light throughout a room. However, illuminate is far beyond such a definition. Certain points or focal areas can be illuminated by the way they are presented, such as the illustration below that I did at my grandmothers house which focused on certain objects that define her home. This is very important to note because a designer must be able to use design, color, materials, etc. to illuminate a room or drawing.
Illuminate can also refer to ideas and history. As I learned in history class this week, architecture helps to illuminate specific cultures, styles, religions, building processes, etc. The Pyramids at Giza are a perfect example of such. The way that they are organized with there long passages, protected with there blockaded entrances, and centered around elaborate burial chambers illuminates the culture of the Egyptian people. It shows the peoples focus on religion and belief in the afterlife. The pyramids also illuminate in a different way. The tops were made of limestone which when the sun hit made the light shower down the sides. This caused the pyramids to contrast with the monotonous sandy environment.
[IDIOM]
Art and design is one of the most predominant ways that people express their style and "language", or so to speak idiom. The work that people do reflects their personal style and also their abilities as a designer. In studio we are stressed to do our best work and make multiple attempts to create the most pleasing product. By doing such, we are putting our best work forward that reflects how much we can really do. However, as a designer one must know how to adapt and express the personal idiom of their client. It is all about finding a balance between ones own style and that for who they are making it for.
In history I learned too that architecture is also idiomatic, meaning it shows the style of the period. Leland Roth explains this well when he states" the strictly utilitarian or functional considerations of modern architecture defined during the last century are only the most inconsequential part of the broad social and cultural functions that architecture fulfills."[1] The idiom of the buildings helps to relate it to what culture and time it is from. An example of such is the ziggurat which symbolizes mesopotamian building.
[MATERIAL]
Materials can change the entire look of a piece in the blink of an eye. This week in design visualization we focused on drawing vignettes. The first picture below is one that I did of a shelf in my room. Although it has lots of patterns and layers it still lacks something to set it apart. The second vignette however uses watercolors and immediately the picture becomes more vibrant and expressive. The way you use materials can transform the way the final product turns out and is related to the viewer. The same is true in architecture. As said by Roth, "Our visual pleasure in architecture arises from our perception of it." [2] By using different materials in a building it causes the viewer to see it in a different way. In architecture, materials can also show the history of building. In Egypt many materials where not originally found on the land, but actually shipped down the Nile. Knowing where materials are from can help to look into the culture and trade of a society. Material can also relate to culture. We learned how a certain artifact relates to a pattern in the mind and is assesed by description, deduction, and speculation.
[COMMODITY, FIRMNESS, DELIGHT]
Nikolaus Pevsner says, "Architecture is primarily a history of man shaping space".[3] So this makes me question how and for what reason does man shape such spaces. Ever since man was alive it was necessary for some sort of habitat to protect them from the harsh world around him. Because of such conditions architecture began. In history we learned that the first types of architecture dealt with: circles, artificial mountains, and lines in the land. After this, more elaborate styles of building began to arise into what we now have today. Instead of having buildings only for living and burial architecture began to have many functions. This somewhat answers for what reason does man shape spaces, but the question of how is still unanswered. When an architect looks to develop a new successful design he must take in to consider three very important considerations that have been around for decades. Sir Henry Wotton states, "In architecture, as in all operative arts, the end must direct the operation, The end is to build well. Well building hath three conditions: commodity, firmness and delight."[4] Commodity is referring to if the space really accommodates the function it is being built for. Firmness is speaking in terms of if the structure will withstand the test of time, and delight refers to how visually pleasing it is. To me I consider a successful piece of architecture to have all of such. A house could be visually stunning on the outside, but if there is no door to get in then is it really successful? I would say no and I think Roth would tend to agree based off of what he is saying when he states," The mind, particularly the human mind, is programmed to seek meaning and significance in all sensory information".[5] This shows that although one qualification is met it will still be incomplete until it accommodates all three. To satisfy all three however is quite a task. This is what separates a good architect from an amazing one. To find the balance between commodity, firmness, and delight is really what architecture is all about.
[WRAP UP]
An idiom is to express ones own style or art, and that I think is the jumping point from this week. There are a a plethora of ways to express yourself, and art and architecture are two very successful ways to do so. However, it is important that you make a clear well put together statement. One way to do such is to illuminate certain things you want to make more predominant. Also, the types of material and quality also influence the final outcome. But probably the most important step in making a successful statement is seeing if it satisfies commodity, firmness, and delight. As a designer I want to make sure that what I do will serve a purpose, last through the ages, and also be very visually pleasing. Without one of those parts the design to me will seem to have failed in some regard, and not truly be finished.
1-Roth pg. 160
2-Roth pg. 67
3-Roth pg. 55
4-Roth pg. 1
5-Roth pg. 67
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